HL Deb 27 January 1972 vol 327 cc488-90WA
LORD AVEBURY

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will make it illegal to sell fish fingers containing less than 60 per cent. fish by weight.

LORD DENHAM

It is not proposed to introduce such legislation at present. Fish fingers are one of a group of coated fish products for which the possible need for standards was discussed in a report in 1970 by the Food Standards Committee. Following the full discussions on that occasion between the Committee and representatives of the industry, the latter is continuing research into suitable methods of analysis for weight, and is also considering the possible need by consumers of further information on composition. In the meantime, my right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has been assured by firms supplying almost the whole output of frozen coated fish products, that there is no substance in certain reports suggesting that the fish content of any of these products has been reduced recently.

House adjourned at five minutes before seven o'clock.